This is part 2 of a series:
Part 1: the beach and village
Part 2: keep reading
Part 3: wadi hike and waterfall cave
This article is about the wadi drive where you can swim in a fabulous waterfall.
Your destination:
How to get there:
View Wadi Tiwi in a larger map and download the GPS track coordinates here.
Starting at the mouth of the wadi, a great big elevated highway passes over!
And let me take a minute to praise the Omani government for maintaining an absolutely spotless clean public toilet – not only here in Wadi Tiwi, but also at other tourist attractions around the country.
The road into Wadi Tiwi is a very narrow single lane, and it is paved for most of the way. It passes through villages and oases, with impressive canyon cliffs on either side.
When you come upon opposing traffic, gently does it – a little bit of patience and courtesy is all it takes, and everyone gets through. In the photos below you can see the road.
Luckily for us, we were in an Audi Q5, as sure-footed as a mountain goat with its hill-descent, no-roll start and traction control.
Other kinds of transportation were spotted along the way.
And for another perspective on the drive, have a read of Marina Bruce’s drive along this route.
The scenery is interesting, and a few stops provided both photo opps and finding a few empty bullet casings. Hopefully shot in celebration!
Finally, around 35km in, the last village served by road: Sayma, and where you should park your car.
The GPS track shows two parking lots – they are in fact very small – and so try and park out of the way of the locals, who certainly would not appreciate you blocking their exit.
The walk down to the waterfall is from the second parking area.
Sayma is a friendly village, and we were immediately approached by a kind young man, who happily lead us down to the waterfall and swimming pools through the oasis paths. Any path heading directly downhill from the second parking area should eventually lead to the main pool, or close enough.
On the way, the oasis offers shade and all sorts of vegetation.
Then you spot the waterfall from above!
And a little rock scrambling is required to descend – nothing too harsh, and it looks worse than it is. I made it down and back up, after all.
But once down, the most exquisite water pool will welcome you.
Fed by crystal-clear, fresh running water.
And inviting you to take a refreshing dip in what must be one of the most beautiful waterfalls in Arabia.
Make friends with a few frogs,
but especially make sure you bring my regards to Salem Rashid Al Mokhemi, who guided us with a sincere sense of hospitality.
My disclaimer is here